6 outdated bedroom trends designers urge us to avoid – not doing so can ruin a space

With a constant new stream of beautiful interior design ideas and styles to explore, there will always be certain trends that lose their spark, and we're here to guide you through the outdated bedroom trends that are no longer favored by designers. 

Of course, a bedroom is a deeply personal space, and your bedroom ideas should cater to your needs and your needs alone, however, exploring analysis on trends that no longer work well, and taking in refreshing new design ideas, will only help you to create a more successful, functional and beautiful scheme.

From designs that do not prioritize relaxation and comfort, to spaces dominated by clutter and distracting technology, we will take you through what's in and what's out for the very latest in bedroom design.

6 outdated bedroom trends to avoid – and what you should do, instead

A bedroom should be a relaxing, restful retreat where you can truly unwind and feel calm. However, bedrooms also have to work hard to meet many different demands, from sleeping to grooming, dressing, and working to name just a few.

Your design should embody the perfect balance of style and functionality, allowing you to sit back and enjoy the space as well as have it work with your day-to-day lifestyle.

The latest bedroom trends teach us how to decorate with a more adventurous color palette, layers of inviting texture, and a blend of design ideas from the past and present; generating a more eclectic and comforting space that embodies a unique style. 

Here, we will take you through what to avoid in the bedroom, and how you can harness the latest trends to create a stand-out scheme, instead.

1. Matching furniture sets

One of the biggest interior design trends for 2023 is uniting the old with the new; helping to create a more sustainable and thoughtful space rich with eclectic character.

From decorating with antiques and shopping secondhand, to embracing a mixture of vintage finds and brand-new furniture pieces, this trend is leading to a big move away from coordinating furniture and matching sets, in favor of a more collected and diverse look.

'I believe we are going to see an integration of vintage and contemporary design aesthetics to create one cohesive scheme throughout a room or home,' says London-based interior designer, Charu Gandhi.

Using symmetry in interior design can help to create a more balanced and ordered look, but do not be afraid to embrace contrasts when styling a bedroom. For example, choose furniture that establishes a beautiful blend of materials and shapes; helping to achieve a more textured and visually interesting space. 

Interior designer and style director, Amber Dunford also advises, 'selecting bedroom furniture or décor that embrace imperfections or irregular shapes can mimic an organic look and feel of objects you’ll find in nature. Try to incorporate furniture with natural materials in the home, whether that be reclaimed wood, bamboo, rattan, or stone.'

Charu Gandhi

Charu Gandhi is the founder & director of Elicyon. Charu Gandhi is a qualified Architect, registered with RIBA and ARB, who studied and taught at the Architectural Association. 

Amber Dunford

Amber Dunford has experience working as an interior designer, style director at Overstock, environmental designer, visual merchandiser and art director. Amber has united her interior design background and master's degree in psychology to also teach a Design Psychology course in Salt Lake City.

2. A space void of color and character

Of course, many of us will be drawn to more simple neutrals for bedroom color ideas to create a calming, relaxing design – sometimes you just cannot go wrong with a beautiful white bedroom! 

However, 2023 color trends have seen a move away from cool grays and stark whites, to more warming, earthy neutrals and spaces decorated in a rainbow of eye-catching colors and striking paint ideas – just because a bedroom is a space for sleep and relaxation does not mean you need to avoid colorful bedroom ideas!

Camilla Clarke, creative director at Albion Nord says, 'going into 2023, your bedroom should be the ultimate sanctuary space. Fully embrace cool and calming colors, particularly soft blues, and deep olive greens. Pairing these shades with warm lighting creates a feeling of calmness and serenity.’

From beautiful bedroom paint ideas to colorful bedroom window treatments and accessories, a restful bedroom does not equal one void of color and character. From a bright chartreuse to a grounding green, decorate your bedroom in shades that spark joy and help you feel comfortable and relaxed.

Camilla Clarke

Creative director at London-based interior design firm, Albion Nord, Camilla Clarke has worked at some of London’s leading interior design practices. Clarke uses her artistic background to influence her interior designs on everything from contemporary penthouses to Georgian homes.

3. A lack of zoning

Over the last few years, we have seen designers and dwellers alike moving away from vast, open-plan house designs to spaces that celebrate snug, broken-plan layouts that offer more privacy.

In a bedroom, comfort and coziness are key, and having pockets of vast empty space will not help to create an inviting atmosphere. Avoid this by cleverly zoning the space into different sections. From nook bed ideas to clever bedroom layout ideas, think about all the different uses your bedroom has and design a layout that creates clear zones; helping to make the space feel more functional and welcoming.

As an interior designer, Artem Kropovinsky says, 'bedrooms are multifunctional spaces that serve multiple purposes beyond sleeping, they provide a space for work, reading, meditation, dressing, and more. Zone the space by using room dividers, curtains, rugs, or clever furniture arrangements.'

Artem Kropovinsky

Founder of NYC-based interior design firm, Arsight, Artem Kropovinsky has a decade of extensive global design experience, connecting a cohesive, collaborative team of passionate professionals, who work on interior projects in the U.S. and worldwide. 

4. Having too much clutter on show

'Clutter, especially at eye level, makes us feel tense and requires more of our mental attention. We tend to focus more on overflowing stacks of paperwork or piles of clothes for example, as our brains cannot mentally arrange clutter in the same way we can with tidy stacks or organized bins. Try using baskets in the bedroom to contain extra blankets or use trays on the nightstand to hold your nighttime essentials,' says interior designer, Amber Dunford.

There is no room for unnecessary clutter in the bedroom! Of course, you want to style the space with ornaments, accessories and objects to create a unique design, but avoid having too many items on display or using the space as a dumping ground for objects that don't belong there, as this will only make the room feel overwhelming and uninviting.

Having plenty of bedroom storage, from bespoke cabinetry to shelving and storage baskets, will create a neat and tidy space that is set up for sleep.

5. Minimize technology in the bedroom

Many of us will have TVs in our bedrooms – I mean, who doesn't love watching TV from the comfort of their own bed? 

However, interior designers often urge us to think twice about incorporating a TV as they can not only ruin the visual flow of a design – styling a space around a big black box isn't always the easiest – but TVs can also serve as a distraction from sleep.

Amber Dunford says, 'it’s important to create a bedroom that promotes sleep and the easiest way to do this is by keeping your bedroom free of technology. Try adding a diffuser with essential oils or candles in scents like lavender or jasmine to calm the brain and give you a better night’s sleep.'

If you've decided on a TV in your bedroom, that is of course completely up to you, but try and style the space so the TV does not sit at the front and center of your design scheme; explore stylish bedroom TV ideas and clever ways you can discreetly integrate one into the space – so it isn't the main focus of the room.

6. Ignoring the design potential of a beautiful bed

As the most important piece of furniture in the bedroom, your bed should not only benefit from the best mattress, best pillows, and best bed sheets, it should sit proudly in the space and create a beautiful design feature.

From adding color and pattern through your chosen sheets to choosing luxurious headboard ideas or a four-poster structure, ignoring the design potential of your bed is a wasted opportunity to enhance the space with beautiful style and character.

Renowned for her use of stunning headboards in her interior designs, interior designer, Kit Kemp, says in her dedicated feature on headboard design, 'this furnishing is a real starting point to a bedroom; it’s a statement piece that you can take the rest of your design cues from.'

Camilla Clarke also supports this and says, 'the grandeur and allure of the four-poster bed are enduring in 2023. We love to introduce four poster beds into our schemes. They have such an amazing impact in both large and small-scale rooms. Although sometimes seen as traditional, four poster beds can be very contemporary, looking elegant, and making a statement in both new and old spaces.’ 

Shop a selection of Kit Kemp's stand-out headboards below.

Kit Kemp MBE

Leading British interior designer and founder of the hotel chain, Firmdale Hotels, Kit Kemp has been creating and designing beautiful interior spaces for over 3 decades.

FAQs

Your bedroom should be a beautiful space that not only celebrates a collection of stand-out design ideas, but it should also be designed to prioritize the importance of relaxing, cozy comfort, and sleep.

Exploring the latest design direction and expert advice on what trends to avoid will only help you to create a more successful sleep space that is at one with your sense of style and lifestyle.